35 Interesting Facts About Owls

1. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey. They are present in all parts of the earth except Antarctica and a few remote islands.
2. The earliest owl species is nearly 60 million years old. Paleontologists have discovered fossils of this ancient owl in northwestern France. It was a large owl similar in size to the eagle owl, the largest modern owl species. (Source)
3. The earliest almost complete owl fossil is 55 million years old. The size of this owl is nearly equal to the size of a modern snowy owl. This newly discovered owl species has different talons from modern owls. They are similar to those of diurnal birds, such as eagles and goshawks. Scientists believe owls changed their hunting technique from diurnal to nocturnal 34 million years ago due to competition from other birds of prey. (Source)
4. There are more than 200 species of owls. They are divided into two families: typical owls and barn owls. The most prominent feature of barn owls is their heart-shaped facial disc.
5. Owls are the most famous nocturnal (active during the night) birds. They can see better at night due to a large number of rods (used for better vision at night) compared to a few cones (used for color vision) in the retina of their eyes. Their large eyes also allow them to grasp a lot of light rays. (Source) 

   

   Some owl species are diurnal and crepuscular

   
   
   
6. However, not all owl species are nocturnal. Northern hawk owls and northern pygmy owls are the two completely diurnal (active during the day) species. Apart from them, few owl species are crepuscular (active at dawn or dusk).
7. Owls have poor senses of smell and taste. They use their excellent vision and hearing to find prey. Lack of smell assists them in preying upon smelly animals like skunks. Most other animals avoid them due to their unpleasant scent. (Source)
8. Eagle owl is the largest owl species, with a weight up to 4 kg, average length of 28 inches, and a wingspan of more than 5 feet. This owl has a diverse diet, having a prey ranging from beetles to as large as roe dear fawns. It usually eats small to medium-sized mammals, small birds, birds of prey (including other owls), reptiles, and fish. (Source)
9. The elf owl, native to the USA and Mexico, is the smallest owl. It has a body length of around 14 cm and weighs less than 50 g. This desert-dwelling owl of North America lives in tree holes made by other birds, and sometimes shares a bush with a woodpecker. The least pygmy owl, with a length of 15 cm and weighs around 50 g, is slightly bigger than the elf owl. (Source)
10. Owls have different eye colors according to their activity time. Nocturnal owls have eyes of black or dark brown color. Diurnal owls have yellow eyes, while orange eyes belong to owls that hunt at dusk or dawn.
11. Owls have fixed eyes that cannot move. Their eyes make up 3% of their body weight. In contrast to their sharp distant vision, they cannot see closer things well. They have extraordinary depth perception due to binocular vision (seeing an object with both eyes simultaneously). Owls contain three eyelids for better protection of the eyes. Great horned owls have the largest eyes, while tawny owls have the sharpest vision among owls.
12. A unique quality of owls is their silent flight. They do so by using their large wings and unusual structure of feathers that act as a silencer. (Source)
13. Scientists have used the knowledge of the amazing silent flight of large owls to develop a new sound-reducing material. It helps reduce the noise of wind turbines, airplanes, and other man-made wings. (Source)
14. Owls have asymmetrical ears. Their left ear is in a lower position than the right one. It assists in pinpointing the source of a sound. At frequencies of above 5 kHz, their hearing is more sensitive than other birds. (Source)
15. The great grey owl has the largest facial disc of any raptor. The shape of its face assists the owl in catching faint sound in any direction.
16. Owls are one of the best friends of farmers due to their hunting of animals (moles, rats, etc.) that destroy crops at night. A single owl family can consume 2,000 to 6,000 rodents in a year. Therefore, some owl species (especially barn owls) are used as natural pest control by farmers. These birds provide one of the best non-toxic rodent control methods. It assists in reducing the use of chemical pesticides that harm humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. (Source)
17. Owls are generally harmless to humans. They usually remain peaceful and don't carry rabies and other major transmissible diseases to humans. However, sometimes large owls may attack people if they move close to their nests. (Source)
18. Most owl species can rotate their heads at 270 degrees. No other animal can turn its head at this level. They can do so without sustaining physical damage due to their unique bone and vascular structure. They have 14 cervical vertebrae compared to 7 in humans. Moreover, the bony canal in their neck is ten times bigger than the human’s canal. (Source)

    

    Few owls can rotate head 270 degrees
    
    

19. Owls usually cannot digest their food completely due to lack of crop, weak bills, and mild stomach acid. Therefore, they expel the indigestible food particles (bones, fur, feathers, etc.) as pellets. It keeps their digestive system healthy.
20. In Ancient Greece, the flight of an owl over the army before a battle was considered a sign of victory. In Greek mythology, the little owl was a companion of Athena, the warrior deity. Therefore, they believed that the owl crossing over them is a symbol of favor from Athena. 
21. In some civilizations, owls are considered wise. In others, they symbolize ill omen and darkness due to their nighttime activities, silent flight, and hooting sounds.
22. In contrast to a popular opinion, owls are not intelligent. They have a small brain-to-body ratio and cannot understand even slightly complex situations. (Source)
23. Most of the owl species roost in holes inside trees. These are either natural holes or those built by woodpeckers. Others use vacant nests built by birds like crows, hawks, etc.
24. Few owls eat owls of other species. Snowy owls and northern hawk owls eat short-eared owls and boreal owls, respectively. Great horned owls hunt several owl species.
25. Owls are carnivores that eat small and medium-sized animals in their habitat. The most common food of owls include insects, small birds, voles, mice, lizards, snakes, fish, rabbits, and ducks.
26. Many owls have very few predators. These include foxes, bobcats, eagles, hawks, and climbing snakes. These animals usually hunt eggs, owlets, or small owl species. Owls defend themselves by using their strong talons and beaks, or by camouflage.
27. Owls lay more eggs than other raptors. Common barn owls and burrowing owls lay the highest number of eggs among owls. Their eggs are more spherical than the eggs of any bird. If the food is inadequate, the older chick will survive while the weaker ones may starve.
28. Owls produce several sounds in different circumstances. These include hoots, growls, barks, screeches, etc. Various owl species prefer one or more calls. 
29. Burrowing owls are different from other owls that live in nests. They are ground-dwelling birds with long legs. They live in burrows dug by other animals in the open, treeless habitat. Unlike most nocturnal owls, these owls are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).
30. Like many other raptors, female owls are larger than male owls. Females are usually 10% to 20% heavier than male owls. Males are larger than females in most other birds.
31. Around 17% of owl species are critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable. These birds face risk due to loss of habitat, hunting, diseases, and eating insects affected by insecticides. 
32. Owls can swim, but they only do that as a last resort while fleeing from predators. They may swim when young or while escaping falcons or other dangerous flying birds. (Source)
33. Owls are present in almost all habitats, including tundra, grasslands, rainforests, deserts, etc. Various species have adapted according to their specific habitat. 
34. Owls are not considered good pets because they are nocturnal and carnivorous. Furthermore, they need consistent care and a lot of space.
35. Owls rarely drink water, and usually fulfill their water requirement from the food they eat. Few species, such as the snowy owls, may eat snow in the absence of fresh water. 
36. The lifespan of owls differs by species. Great horned owls are considered the longest-living that can reach around 30 years of age.